Set Adrift

[Stede]

We had med.moored our chartered 45 foot sloop in the main harbor of Mykonos-Greek Cyclade islands.The quay was shaped like an "L",with our boat being in the short end of the "L". Other later arriving boats had crossed our anchor line with theirs.When we got ready to leave we couldn't retrieve our anchor because of all the other anchor lines crossing ours.We developed a plan.We took the outboard off the dink(to lighten load) disconnected the bitter end of the anchor chain rode from our boat,and proceeded to pile the chain in the dink as we made our way towards the anchor.We hoped to get to our anchor,pull it up by hand and return to our boat with it which would allow us to leave.We tossed the dink's painter to people on the conflicting boats,and they would pull us along making way under their anchor rodes,towards our anchor.The plan was working great until we tossed the dinks painter to a guy aboard an Italian boat.Apparently he didn't understand the plan and tossed the painter back to us.The winds were very strong in the harbor and we were immediately set adrift towards the center of the harbor.Luckily we weren't blown out to sea,but instead were blown across the harbor towards the harbor front cafes.Nicely dressed people enjoying their lunches at the cafes were provided free entertainment as everyone watched the stupid sailors being blown across the harbor in their little inflatable boat.Eventually,the wind carried us to shore,we got out and made our way though the cafe tables while the on-lookers laughed and had a good time of it all.Ahhhh....the sailors life :^)

[dbohara]

Anchored 100 yards off Boca Grande 15 miles west of Key West. Took the rubber dink to shore to explore with my wife and daughter. Had no motor but the oars worked "ok" for a short distance. Explored for an hour or so and then tried to get back. Got about half way and then the tide sudenly running really fast away from our boat and away from the island carrying us to the north away from anything. Frantically padled for a few minutes till I realized it wouldnt work. Decided to allow it to carry us north till we could get out of the flow and then work our way back to the North side of the island......maybe...... Finally, another sailboat came around the island and rescued us. It is a little unusual for another sailboat to be there as the water is fairly shoaly so we were lucky.
Now I have a hard dink that rows very well in almost any flow.

[GordMay]

STEDE:
I don't understand how you came to be adrift. Bitter end & pile of chain in dink, anchor down & fouled. Wasn't the dink, therefor, anchored?
Perplexed,
Gord

[Stede]

Ahoy Gord May,

You ask a very good question.I see why you're a "Senior cruiser here,and I'm only a "Junior" ;^) I had to really dig deep into the cobweb of memories to retrieve the answer.We had actually been successful in making our way to the anchor while going under the rodes of the other boats.We were unsuccessful in pulling the anchor up when we got over top of it.All this was happening while an early Meltemi wind had started in the Greek Islands.After our unsuccessful attempt at getting the anchor up,we had a pile of chain on the dink.Rather than trying to make our way back to the boat with all of it,we tied a float on the bitter end and dropped the chain overboard.The new plan was to get back to the boat,motor up to the chain,cleat it off,and then break it free with the forward momentum of the boat. Anyway,it was on our return trip under the boat rodes with the dink that the Italian guy set us adrift.The people on the boats had already been through the drill once,so whether he did it intentional or not,I don't know.There was much more to this whole story but I was trying to keep it short.In case you've never experienced a Meltemi,believe me,it's a force to be reckoned with.We had left the boat in Mykonos harbor to take a short flight to an island called Santorini.When we left,there was no Meltemi wind.The day we flew back from Santorini,it had just begun.The small plane we were on was all over the place as the pilot brought it in to the small run way on Mykonos.As I was looking out my window, I saw the wing tip come within feet of hitting the Tarmac as the plane rolled right before landing.I thought we were all going to die.Luckily,the pilot got the plane safely to the ground.The winds were blowing around force 6&7. We were the last plane to either arrive,or leave on Mykonos.The airport shut down after our arrival,as did all other modes of transportation through the NE group of Cyclade islands.Even the huge ferry boats quit traveling. Now you may ask, why in the world would I be trying to get a boat out of a safe harbor when all that was going on? Well first of all, we had waited for three days after returning from Santorini for the Meltemi winds to die down enough for us to leave.Secondly,to be honest,myself and crew were sick of Mykonos.Don't get me wrong,it's a beautiful island,but we had seen and done all that we wanted there. No sail boats were leaving,so we devised the devious ill-fated plan of retrieving the anchor. I knew if I could get the boat out of the harbor,I could make it over to another large island close by and sail in the lee of it to make another harbor.At least it would be a new harbor.Hey, ...I just say it was a plan....I never said it was a good one! Now, I guess you wish you had never asked your question! Ha! Ha! Bye the way, I always enjoy reading your posts here,and elsewhere.Cheers!

[GordMay]

Quite an Odyssey, and an interesting tale!
“The best laid plans of mice an men ...”
Remember, there are 27 letters in the alphabet, and your plan should be Plan “A”, with attendant back-ups (‘B’ thru ‘Z’ or whatever).
Gord

[OldYachtie]

I was rafted to a bunch of racing yachts at Shilshole Marina in Seattle once. The place was jam packed, as people had come from miles around to compete in a big race. Some idiot crewman just cast me off when boat was ready to leave, instead of either giving me time to move lines or get underway myself. So there we were floating around the marina completely unprepared, scrambling to get the motor up and running, and trying to keep the mooring lines out of the prop.

[rebel heart]

I've seen a few people walk a boat out of the slip, and not be able to hop on board with the crew. It's hilarious.

But this last summer a neighbor in the marina was by himself, and walked it out. The wind normally blows the boats into the slips, so the odds of the boat getting away from you are slim. This time, the wind was on his bow, and his little Catalina 25 (or whatever it is) drifted into the waterway with him on the finger screaming for someone to do something. Some people barbequeing boat poled it off and then someone else managed to hop on board and take it back into the dock. Pretty funny to watch though. :-)

Some day it will be me on the recieving end.

[mickmul]

Doing my yachtmaster exam in '92 we were offshore and had a crew member in a drysuit for the Man Overboard routines. Exam officer allowed us throw a fender and danbouy and was happy enough with retrieval skills and times. Crew member went below and got out of the drysuit. An hour later, going alongside the marina same crew member jumped to take the bow line ashore, lost his footing and in he went!
Embarassing, but funny as a yarn in the bar later. . .

[OldYachtie]

Mickmul, I hope you got extra credit for the extra rescue!